Coin-slot guard



May 6, 1930.

W. RABKIN COIN SLOT GUARD Filed Aug. 13, 1928 {Z 76 15 la alive r06 AZ 3.52am.

Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES WILLIAM RABKIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

com-snow GUARD Application filed August 13, 1928.

This invention is a device for resisting the insertion of impropermaterial through the entrance slots of coin chutes and may be employedas a guard for keyholes and other openings. Owners of coin-controlledmachines are subjected to great annoyance by mischievous persons whoinsert soft paper, gum or other material through the coin slots of theirmachines and thereby choke the slots and the coin chutes so that themachines cannot be used. Frequently it is necessary to dismantle themachine in order to clear the coin chute and permit the insertion ofcoins in the intended manner, and my invention seeks to provide simpleand efficient means whereby the insertion of improper material will beresisted while the insertion of a proper coin will be facilitated. Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will behereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation with the back plate of the casing removed andshowing the coin chute closed;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the guard open to permit the insertionof a coin;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of another embodiment of the invention, theback plate of the casing being removed, and

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

The present invention includes a casing comprising a face plate 1 and aback plate 2 which is secured to the face plate in any approved mannerand both plates are provided with coin slots 3 and 4 respectively topermit 40 the insertion of a proper coin. Upon reference to Fig. 2, itwill be noted that the face plate is provided with side and end flanges5 which enclose the back plate so that the mechanism will be concealedand the casing may be secured upon the frame of a coin-controlledmachine by bolts or screws inserted through the wall of the machine fromthe inner side thereof. Pivotally mounted between the face and backplates of the casing are jaws 6 which are of similar form and con-Serial No. 299,262.

sists each of an anglelever having its shorter arm pivoted, as at 7, ona line passing longitudinally through the coin slot. The longer arm ofea ch lever extends obliquely across the coin slot and the opposed edgesof these arms meet across the slot, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3.The meeting edges of the jaws are beveled on their outer faces, as shownat 8, to facilitate their engagement by a coin, which is indicated at 9in Fig. 4. The working members of the jaws, which are the longer armsthereof, gradually increase in width from the shorter arms to the freeends of the jaws so that when the jaws meet, as shown in Fig. 3, theentire area of the coin slot will be covered. The jaws are yieldablyheld in the closed position by a spring 10 of any suitable type andmounted in any convenientmanner in the casing.

Should it be attempted to insert paper, chewing gum or other softmaterial through the slot 6, the passage of such material will beeffectually resisted by the jaws of the guard inasmuch as the softnature of the material will cause it to crumple against the jaws insteadof separating them. Consequently, the improper material cannot passbeyond the coin slot, although it may fill the slot to choke the same,but in such case it may be easily removed without requiring the guardand its casing to be removed from the machine or any dismantlingwhatever to be done. When a coin, however, is inserted, its rigiditywill enable it to engage and bear against the meeting edges of the jawswith sufficient strength to spread them apart so that the coin may bepassed through the registering coin slots. As the coin is thus inserted,its edge will bear constantly upon the opposed edges of the jaws, asshown in Fig. 4, and as soon as the diameter of the coin clears thejaws, the spring 10 will forcibly close the jaws and expel the coin intothe coin chute, returning the jaws to closed position covering the outercoin slot. It may be desirable to bevel the inner faces of the jaws inorder to avoid sharp corners which mi ht bind and bite into the coin.

fn Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a somewhat different embodiment of theinvention in which the casing comprises an outer casting 11 having anintegral rim 12 formed on its inner'side, this casting and rim beingpreferably substantially oblong in form. A back plate 13 is secured uponthe rim, as sho'wnin Fig. 6, and in the casting and the back plate areformed registering coin slots 14 and .15. Slida'bly fitted'wiithin therim .12 and between the front of the casting and the back plate 13 arejaws 16 which in their normal position willcover the slots, as clearlyshown, and they are held in their closed position by expansion springs17 disposed between theends of the rim 12 and the outer ends of the jawsand engaged in sockets 18 provided therefor in the jaws. The opposedmeeting ends of the jaws are beveled, as shown at 19, and they may befurther provided with recesses 20 to facilitate the proper engagementand operationof the jaws by an inserted coin.

When improper material is inserted in the coin chute 14, it will nothave sufiicient strength to separate the jaws but will merely 'cru-mpleup within the slot in the same manner that material inserted in the coinslot in the previously described form of the inven tion will act. When acoin, however, is inserted, its edge will engage the beveled .meetingends of the jaws and will pry the same apartagainst theresistance ofthesprings 17 and eventually the diameter of the coin will clear themeeting ends 'of the jaws, whereupon the springs will expand and closethe jaws, the closingaction serving'to propel the coin forcibly into thecoin chute.

"The device is exceedingly simple and compact and will operateeffieiently for the purposes for which it is designed. It may be readilyapplied to any coin-controlled machine :and without any substantialstructural changes may be applied to keyholes or similar openings. 7

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

Means for the purpose setforth comprising a plate having a coin slotformed therethrough, jaws pivotally mounted upon said plate, the pivotsvbeing located at the opposite ends of the slot and alined therewith andthe jaws including obliquely disposed members increasing in width towardtheir free ends and having opposed side edges meeting diagonally acrossthe slot to cover the same, said edges being beveled inwardly on theirouter faces whereby to be separated by an entering coin, and resilientmeans bearing upon the :outer edges of the jaws to normally hold themtogether to close the slot In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

WILLIAM RABKIN. [I]. s.

